1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the invention generally provide a proactive intellectual property enforcement system (PIPES). More specifically, embodiments of the invention relate to an approach for generating a collection of partially fake copies of a media title distributed file sharing services.
2. Description of the Related Art
Users exchange large volumes of media content every day, e.g., by downloading digital files over peer-to-peer sharing networks and from file sharing sites. For example, web-sites are available that publish direct links to files available from a file-hosting service as well as links to files hosted in peer-to-peer file sharing networks (e.g., by posting a link to a bittorrent seed file). Frequently, media content available over peer-to-peer networks and file sharing sites is being distributed in violation of copyright (or other intellectual property) laws. However, approaches to prevent unauthorized file sharing have met with limited success. As a result, media content owners (such as a distributor of a new musical album or a movie studio releasing a new motion picture) can expect whatever they release to be made available on such network sharing sites and peer-to-peer sharing networks shortly after (and frequently even before) an official release. While estimates differ at how much this activity actually reduces legitimate sales, it is generally accepted that that unauthorized file sharing is having a negative effect on the value for digital media properties.
This reality creates a strong demand for intelligent, proactive and approaches for digital rights management. That is, for techniques to limit, prevent, or otherwise disrupt the unauthorized sharing in order to protect the intellectual property rights of the media content owners.